Synergism
Salvation as a real cooperation between human freedom and the grace of God
Synergism teaches that salvation involves the cooperation of human free will with divine grace, so that the person genuinely responds to God's initiative. Rooted in John Cassian and the Eastern Fathers and affirmed in a qualified way at the Council of Trent, it is held by Orthodox and Catholic traditions. Much of the Reformed tradition rejects it in favor of monergism, where grace alone effects salvation.
How it traveled
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the RomansConstantinople (Istanbul) · c. 407 CEexplains
- The Homilies of St. John ChrysostomConstantinople (Istanbul) · c. 407 CEexplains
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the HebrewsConstantinople (Istanbul) · c. 407 CEexplains
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Philippians, Colossians, and ThessaloniansConstantinople (Istanbul) · c. 407 CEexplains
- A Commentary on the Acts of the ApostlesConstantinople (Istanbul) · c. 407 CEexplains
- Homilies on First CorinthiansConstantinople (Istanbul) · c. 407 CEexplains
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Timothy, Titus, and PhilemonConstantinople (Istanbul) · c. 407 CEexplains
- Against the PelagiansBethlehem · c. 420 CEexplains
- A Treatise on Grace and Free WillHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- A Treatise on Rebuke and GraceHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- A Treatise Against Two Letters of the PelagiansHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- A Treatise on the Grace of Christ, and on Original SinHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- A Treatise on Nature and GraceHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- A Treatise on the Spirit and the LetterHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- A Treatise on the Predestination of the SaintsHippo Regius · c. 430 CEapplies
- Expositions on the Book of PsalmsHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of InfantsHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- A Work on the Proceedings of PelagiusHippo Regius · c. 430 CEapplies
- The EnchiridionHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- The Conferences of John Cassian. Part I. Containing Conferences I-XMarseille · c. 435 CEexplains
- The Conferences of John Cassian. Part II. Containing Conferences XI-XVIIMarseille · c. 435 CEexplains
- The Twelve Books on the Institutes of the Cœnobia, and the Remedies for the Eight Principal FaultsMarseille · c. 435 CEexplains
- Treatise on the Sacraments (qq[60]-90)Paris · c. 1274 CEexplains
- Discussion: Second PartWittenberg · c. 1546 CEchallenges
- Discussion: First PartWittenberg · c. 1546 CEchallenges
- Discussion: Third PartWittenberg · c. 1546 CEchallenges
- The Sovereignty of GodWittenberg · c. 1546 CEchallenges
- ExordiumWittenberg · c. 1546 CEchallenges
- Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the GospelGeneva · c. 1564 CEexplains
- Book Third. the Mode of Obtaining the Grace of Christ. the Benefits It Confers, and the Effects Resulting from ItGeneva · c. 1564 CEchallenges
- a careful and strict inquiry into the prevailing notions of the freedom of willNorthampton, Massachusetts · c. 1758 CEexplains
- XIV Five discourses on the soul's eternal salvationNorthampton, Massachusetts · c. 1758 CEexplains
- Seventeen Occasional SermonsNorthampton, Massachusetts · c. 1758 CEexplains
Key passages(20)
Each passage is tagged by what it does with the idea: explains it, applies it in practice, redefines it with a new meaning, or challenges it. Relevance shows how directly the passage is about this idea.
Treatise on the Sacraments (qq[60]-90) · Thomas Aquinas
I answer that, A thing is necessary for salvation in two ways: first, absolutely; secondly, on a supposition. A thing is absolutely necessary for salvation, if no one can obtain salvation without it,
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A Treatise on Grace and Free Will · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter 27 [XIV.]—Grace Effects the Fulfilment of the Law, the Deliverance of Nature, and the Suppression of Sin’s Dominion. It has, however, been shown to demonstration that instead of really mainta
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A Treatise on Rebuke and Grace · Augustine of Hippo
A Treatise on rebuke and grace, by aurelius augustin, bishop of hippo; In One Book, addressed to valentine, and with him to the monks of adrumetum. a.d. 426 or 427 ———————————— In the beginning
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A Treatise on Rebuke and Grace · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter 38.—What is the Nature of the Gift of Perseverance that is Now Given to the Saints. And thus God willed that His saints should not—even concerning perseverance in goodness itself—glory in the
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Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel · John Calvin
7. But perhaps there will be some who, while they admit that the will is in its own nature averse to righteousness, and is converted solely by the power of God, will yet hold that, when once it is pre
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Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel · John Calvin
11. As to perseverance, it would undoubtedly have been regarded as the gratuitous gift of God, had not the very pernicious error prevailed, that it is bestowed in proportion to human merit, according
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Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel · John Calvin
7. I admit, indeed, that if the Scripture taught nothing else on the subject than that the Law is a rule of life by which we ought to regulate our pursuits, I should at once assent to their opinion; b
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Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel · John Calvin
16. The other passages which they gather together from different quarters will not give much trouble to any person of tolerable understanding, who pays due attention to the explanations already given.
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Discussion: First Part · Martin Luther
Sect. LIX. — THERE is that of Isaiah i. 19., “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the fat of the land:” — ‘Where, (according to the judgment of the Diatribe,) if there be no liberty of the wil
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Discussion: Second Part · Martin Luther
Sect. CXXXI. — After this, it enumerates a multitude of similitudes: by which, it effects nothing but the drawing aside the witless reader to irrelevant things, according to its custom, and at the sam
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Homilies on First Corinthians · John Chrysostom
For to this end God made thee a free agent, that thou mightest not afterwards accuse God, as though some necessity had bound thee: but thou, in regard of those very things wherein thou hast been honor
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The Conferences of John Cassian. Part II. Containing Conferences XI-XVII · John Cassian
Chæremon: I am pleased that, though you are fired with the greatest longing to know the truth, yet you bring forward some foolish points, as by your raising these objections the value of the Catholic
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The Conferences of John Cassian. Part II. Containing Conferences XI-XVII · John Cassian
Whence human reason cannot easily decide how the Lord gives to those that ask, is found by those that seek, and opens to those that knock, and on the other hand is found by those that sought Him not,
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The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians · John Chrysostom
Homily VIII. Philippians ii. 12–16 “So then, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembli
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The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians · John Chrysostom
As then, when he calls these gifts, he does not put us out of the pale of free will, but accords to us free will, so when he says, “to work in us to will,” he does not deprive us of free will, but he
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The Sovereignty of God · Martin Luther
Sect XXV. — AS to the other paradox you mention, — that, ‘whatever is done by us, is not done by Free-will, but from mere necessity’ — . Let us briefly consider this, lest we should suffer any thing
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a careful and strict inquiry into the prevailing notions of the freedom of will · Jonathan Edwards
Let us suppose a real and sure connexion between a man having his eyes open in the clear day-light, with good organs of sight, and seeing; so that seeing is connected with his opening his eyes, and no
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A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter 6.—Wherein the Pharisee Sinned When He Thanked God; To God’s Grace Must Be Added the Exertion of Our Own Will. Let us then drive away from our ears and minds those who say that we ought to ac
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Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel · John Calvin
4. Among ecclesiastical writers, although there is none who did not acknowledge that sound reason in man was seriously injured by sin, and the will greatly entangled by vicious desires, yet many of th
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Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel · John Calvin
11. The third class of objections is not unlike the other two. For they produce passages in which God upbraids his people for their ingratitude, intimating that it was not his fault that they did not
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